4 Ways to Deliver a Stellar Virtual Presentation

• Virtual presentations come with their own unique challenges.
• There are tips and techniques to help you give the perfect virtual presentation.
• Making eye contact, standing while speaking, creating virtual interaction, and getting a teammate to help can all help.

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Whether it’s on Teams, Zoom or another platform, doing an online presentation isn’t quite the same as doing it in person – it’s difficult enough to keep attendees engaged in a live setting! But fret not, we’re here to help you tackle them with a few simple tips, tricks and techniques to giving the perfect virtual presentation.

1. Connect eye-to-eye

When you’re feeling disengaged from the audience…

Yes, a good internet connection is essential, but equally important is the connection between you and your audience. And the easiest way to establish that? Eye contact. It’s as simple as looking at the camera periodically during a video call, but many find it challenging. They may be reading their notes, staring at other people or even themselves on the screen. We get it, not everyone is a natural in front of the camera, but there’s an easy fix: put a sticker next to your computer camera as a visual reminder. You may also set a second device slightly above the camera, just so you can monitor what your viewer is seeing without breaking eye contact.

2. Get up

When you sound like a robot reading slides…

It can feel impersonal to be presenting to a machine, but you don’t have to sound like one as well! Without a live audience, it’s easy to fall back on monotonous reading, which results in disinterested, yawning listeners. Remember, energy is contagious, so stand up while you speak (use a standing desk so the camera remains at your eye level). It instantly adds energy to your speech and shifts your mind to a more active state. If you must sit, however, keep your posture straight and your elbows off the desk or the armrest, which allows you to take deeper breaths and project your voice better.

3. Interact, not lecture

When your audience gets distracted…

Let’s be honest: it’s really hard to stay focused during an online presentation. There are so many distractions everywhere. What that means for you, as the presenter, is that a one-sided lecture isn’t going to retain your audience’s attention. Start by inserting interactive elements to your session – many video conferencing platforms now have features like “raise hand” to facilitate engagement. There are also other digital tools: Kahoot!, for example, engages participants in games and discussions with features like word clouds; while Slido adds live polls and quizzes to your presentation to keep it fun and interactive.

4. Team up for the win

When things get hectic…

Virtual presentations are easily done alone, right? You just have to make sure the connection works, pick the right screen at the right time, interact with the attendees, and well, present. The last thing you want is to lose your focus just because you have to manage everything by yourself. So, why not enlist a teammate’s help? They can, for instance, help monitor and respond to chats, or handle the slides. Do a dry run together to test the tech and ensure you’re on the same page. With a little extra help, you can focus on delivering an impactful presentation. You’ve got this!

Your virtual presence can make or break your career – these expert tips will help you up your LinkedIn game.